My Truth to “Power”

First let me say, in no uncertain terms, that I am not trying to be rude. In fact I am attempting to be as polite, respectful, thoughtful, and considerate as I can, while I say this.

Secondly, let me clarify that I am saying this despite my urge to walk away in disgust and protest at the utter ignorance, insensitivity, and sheer senselessness of your words and actions.

Thirdly, let me state, for the record, that I am only saying this not because I believe that your attitude deserves acknowledgement, or because your actions aren’t speaking louder than your words, but because I fear that if I did excuse myself, you might misconstrue it as validation. You might mistakenly come to think that I have nothing of value to contribute on the matter, reinforcing your authority, and I wouldn’t want to fall into such an error.

Fourthly, I must admit a priori, that I might very well be incapable of changing your mind, and that you might possibly be recalcitrant, for lack of a better term, under the circumstance.

Nevertheless, I will say this:

You are not right just because your view has historically been given a louder voice.

You are not right just because the majority seems to go along with your version of facts, or silently acquiesces.

You are not right just because most people around you agree with you.

You are not right just because it seems logical to you, it’s convenient for you, and simply the way things are, in your opinion perhaps even always have been, and always will be.

You are not right just because you are louder, stronger, meaner, richer, better organized, more cunning, better protected, more often repeated and experienced than I am.

None of this makes you right.

The fact that the truth is hidden under mountains of data, volumes of biased interpretations, buried under the most massive of wealths, in which even the most well intentioned of seekers of truth might be tempted to dwell in and swim through before reaching the end (unless otherwise distracted), doesn’t make your view correct.

What makes me right is the accumulation of small truths, small observable instances of genuine care, little details that peek through the murky waters, seemingly insignificant clues left by the silenced, as hopeful signposts pointing in the direction of their true stories. Not having listened, you probably ignored these thinking they were of no consequence. How wrong you are.

Their stories are to be dug out and revealed in all their unabashed rawness. Be honest with yourself, stop ignoring the little inconvenient remnant echoes of voices once heard but never listened to. Don’t look away. Don’t feign shyness now… you’ve done this. You’ve silenced them, you threw away their proof, and buried their stories, hoping to be able to continue presenting your own illusory version of life. Stop lying to yourself. You know they’re there, don’t brush them away as you would a speck of dust, it might be hard to see, but it exists, and it accumulates. Will you then not wish you had listened? Won’t you consider the possibility that you might be wrong?

Your success hinges upon the subjugation of others. You have managed to get where you are by oppressing, erasing, manipulating and otherwise changing the landscape to suit your taste. But nothing stays buried forever. Ghosts do haunt. Skeletons do become unearthed. Echoes do travel. Soon you’ll run out of people to abuse and settings to destroy.

You sell a dream and deliver nightmares. You promise good and create evil. You bait and you switch. And when you fail to convince the majority, you find shady, underhanded ways to change the focus, through some prestidigitation… you make the story suit your whim. You keep those around you satisfied, and the rest you distract, you entertain, you manipulate into endless cat and mouse games, always one step away from achieving what you promised them. Always keeping them wanting more. But always is a big word, bigger than you, didn’t you know?

The endgame is near. You might win, but you won’t succeed. You might get what you want, only to realize it wasn’t what you needed. Ultimately you will fail, for what good is an actor without an audience, a production team, and a set? A magician who’s run out of tricks. Time’s up.